


leave your life open

by possibilityleft



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Back to the Barn, Episode Tag, Extra Treat, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 10:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5044954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/possibilityleft/pseuds/possibilityleft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"You don't have to pretend now," Peridot said.  "When the fusion leaves on her missions, she does not return for several hours."</em>
</p><p>After their fight, Pearl and Peridot have a real conversation.  Episode tag for Back to the Barn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	leave your life open

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cults](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cults/gifts).



Steven was asleep on the couch in the barn. Pearl and Peridot were working outside by the light of the bright moon, so that they didn't wake him with their noises, but if Pearl strained, she could hear his soft snoring. It comforted her. She was humming under her breath as she matched components.

Peridot's shoulders were hunched. Cicadas had started calling when the sun began to sink, and she'd started, climbing Amethyst and asking, "What is that _screaming_?" Amethyst had almost fallen over laughing. Garnet had even chuckled.

Garnet had left about an hour ago, taking Amethyst with her. "A mission," she'd told Pearl quietly, resting her hand on Pearl's shoulder for a moment. Pearl understood that she had to stay behind and watch over Steven and Peridot. She was horribly grateful that Garnet was trusting her again, even with small things like this.

Pearl needed the tungsten. Now, where had she put it? She looked through her neat pile of components and didn't see it. When she looked up, Peridot was looking back at her.

"You don't have to pretend now," Peridot said. "When the fusion leaves on her missions, she does not return for several hours."

Pearl held Peridot's gaze for a moment. It shouldn't worry her that Peridot kept track of their movements; it certainly didn't surprise her.

"I'm not pretending," Pearl said. "I'm looking for the tungsten."

Peridot pointed. She had her own pile of carefully organized components, or at least Pearl assigned there was some kind of organization. She didn't recognize the system. The tungsten was sitting there next to a warped piece of brass and two screwdrivers, crossed at the hilt.

"I needed it," Peridot said, tossing her head as if she expected Pearl to challenge her. Pearl plucked up the lump of metal.

"You could have asked," she said.

"Like you really care," Peridot said. She was looking down now at the joint in her lap, screwing pieces together. "I told you, you can stop. I'll keep working on it. I won't tell them."

"You stop," Pearl said, and she knew her voice was rising. She might wake Steven if she wasn't careful, and she didn't want to do that. She didn't want him to see her fighting with Peridot. Peridot trusted him the most, and Pearl didn't want to force Steven's loyalties so soon. He'd lose Peridot's trust then, and who knew what would happen?

"I told you. I proved it to you. I do this because I want to and because I'm good at it," Pearl said, and she got to her feet, putting her hands on her hips. She towered over Peridot, crouched in her hunch around a muddle of parts. Peridot shrugged sullenly.

"Sure, whatever," she said. "You won, I get it. Is that what you want me to say?"

Pearl wanted to say yes, but that wasn't it, not really. She wanted Peridot to believe her. She wanted Peridot to think of her as something more than a decorative object. She wanted Peridot's respect, and she hated feeling that way, because why should Peridot's feelings matter?

"You can -- you can -- " Pearl hesitated, rubbing her hands together uncertainly around the chunk of metal.

"I should mind my own business, is that it?" Peridot said. "Yeah, well, you don't seem to be minding yours. Go dance or something."

"You don't have to be a peridot," Pearl said.

Peridot laughed. "What?"

"You're on Earth now," Pearl said. "Homeworld's rules don't apply here. They never have. You can be whatever you want."

"That seems to be working out pretty good for you guys, huh?" Peridot said, testing the joint she had just built and adjusting the screw. "Not outcasts at all, nope. Plenty of other Gems around to talk to. No ticking timebomb at the center of a planet you can't leave. Sounds wonderful!"

"It will be over eventually," Pearl said. Rose had always talked about that. During their rare downtimes, while the enemy was regrouping, they always talked about what they would do afterwards, and Rose never said "if" -- just "when." "Do you think they'll take you back, if that's even an option? No. You're going to be stuck here, just like we are. So you should think about who _you_ want to be."

Peridot laughed again, but there wasn't much humor in it. "Sure, whatever," she said, clutching at the part in her hands and staring at it for a moment as if she didn't recognize it. "Pass me the portable smashing device."

She held out her hand.

"Pass me the portable smashing device, _please_ ," Pearl said automatically, and she handed her the hammer.

Peridot rolled her eyes. Pearl crouched down again and picked up the blowtorch. Quietly, they returned to work.


End file.
